Welcome Me
by Vampiric Charms
Summary: Sometimes working the night shift isn't quite so bad.  W/J, complete.


**Set sometime in the early part of S6, after Jordan was cleared on J.D.'s murder but before she gets sick. One-shot, complete. (And for those who would like to know - all six seasons of _Crossing Jordan_ are on Netflix!)  
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><p><strong>Welcome Me<strong>

Jordan looked carefully over the paper in front of her – the one asking for the details of the cause of death – to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Much to her relief, everything was in order. Fighting back a yawn, she signed her name at the bottom and added it to the man's file, which she then added to the growing stack on her desk. One more down, twelve to go. Lovely.

It was two o'clock in the morning and the morgue was quite dead. She was the M.E. on duty that night, but everything that had come in so far was easily handled by the interns. A rather boring night, really. _And a cold one, too,_ she thought for the umpteenth time, clutching the blanket from her couch tighter around her shoulders and pulling her arms to her chest to warm them. She rarely minded working nights, even if it was pretty lonely sometimes – especially when she was the only one of their "group" there. Bug was on-call, not that that really counted. Lucky guy at least got to sleep.

But then thoughts of her empty apartment crept into her mind. Ever since J.D. had died… Yeah, she'd rather be at work. At least there were things here to occupy her time. Much better than lying in bed, alone, dwelling of what could have been and all of the mistakes she had made. Not only with Pollack, but with…well, _everyone_. But especially with –

"Wow, you're actually here."

Jordan started, her eyes immediately falling on the very man her thoughts had been turning to standing there in the doorway of her office. "Woody! What, um – what're you doing here?"

"I was hoping I could crash on your couch for a few hours," he muttered, running his hands over his face and not meeting her gaze. "I didn't think you'd actually be working tonight."

"Oh. Well, be my guest." She nodded and gestured for him to come in. The detective immediately fell on the sofa against the wall, pulling off his shoes so that he could lie back. "I drew the short straw, I guess, for the graveyard shift." She grinned at him, but he didn't return it – didn't even look at her. It was obvious that something was wrong, and she paused in confusion. He just seemed…worn down, and so very despondent. "Hey, are you okay?"

Woody was quiet for a long moment, and Jordan's heart thudded as she thought he wasn't going to respond. But then he slowly turned his head and met her eyes for the first time. That gaze was so sad that it scared her. "It's been a rough week," he finally said. "I haven't slept in three days."

"Ouch. A new case?" Jordan stood and walked around her desk to sit on the low coffee table in front of him, easily seeing that he needed comfort.

He nodded in affirmation, briefly glancing in her general direction again before closing his eyes in defeat. "Serial killer. The pattern only just came out, and we've been chasing him for days now. Seven victims so far, probably more we haven't found yet. Guy thinks he's _so smart_."

She didn't say anything, instead reaching out and taking his hand in hers to give it a gentle squeeze.

"We've almost got him," Woody continued quietly, brining their clasped hands to his chest and slowly letting out his breath. "But I just...had to leave. Thinking about what he's done… I couldn't keep reading that profile over and over."

Jordan nodded in understanding; she knew exactly what he meant, but she didn't have to tell him that. It really was cold in that office, and she gently disentangled her hand from his grasp so that she could take the blanket from her shoulders and drape it over him. He gave her a tired, cheerless smile, reaching out for her again before she had a chance to stand. Obligingly, she returned her hand to his and leaned down to press a chaste kiss to his knuckles. "You'll get him, Woody. You always do."

"How do you have so much faith?" he asked drowsily, his eyes closing again.

She didn't know how to respond to that, so instead she put her other hand to his cheek and rubbed her thumb over his skin. "Go to sleep," she told him softly.

His lips turned up ever so slightly at her touch. "You don't mind me staying here?"

"Of course I don't mind." Carefully pulling away from him, she rose and began to pull the blinds closed. "Besides, it'll be nice to have your company – even if you _are_ snoring." After flipping off the overhead fluorescent, she turned on her desk lamp to take its place. Perfect – just enough light to work by, and plenty dark for him to sleep.

Woody rolled to his side to face the room and sighed, already drifting off. "Jo?"

"Mhmm?"

"I'm glad you're working tonight."

"Yeah," Jordan murmured, grinning faintly as she sat back at her desk and watched him for a long moment. "Me, too."

_Maybe I haven't messed up quite as badly as I thought…_


End file.
